Sewing Seeds Of Help Down On The Farm

Susan Campbell

July 29, 1998|By SUSAN CAMPBELL

About 12 years ago, Margaret Diani showed her husband, Joe, a story she'd read in The Courant about a North Carolina couple fixing to lose their farm to bankruptcy.

The story hit Joe square in the heart. He'd grown up on a farm in Massachusetts. He'd watched his childhood house burn down. His parents had it hard, trying to hold body and soul together in the Depression, and if it hadn't been for the neighbors -- most of whom had only slightly more than the Dianis -- the family would not have made it.

Even though it was just a story in the newspaper and Joe had never met the guy, he called the farm and talked to a beaten- down Charlie Bouldin, of Pittsboro, N.C. Charlie told him that he and his wife, Lillian, were just about sick over their loss. When Joe asked if there was anything he could do, Charlie said he didn't think so, but if Joe wanted to, he could talk to the Bouldins' attorney. Their attorney was handling everything from here on out, that's how bad it had gotten.

But the attorney wasn't so beaten down. She told Joe that if the Bouldins had enough money for seed corn, they just might make it through another season. Joe had just sold a piece of property. He had $6,000 he could part with, interest-free. He called Charlie back, who allowed that he only needed $5,000, and that he would pay Joe back with monthly installments. Joe told him never mind, pay when he could.

Friends told Joe he was nuts, that he could kiss that $5,000 goodbye. Sure, the Bouldins' dilemma was tough, but why did Joe feel he had to get involved?

But Joe did. ``Once in a while,'' he said, ``you have to do something to help people out.''

He sent Charlie the money, and the families took to exchanging letters and Christmas cards. Once, the Dianis traveled south from their home in Avon and met the Bouldins, who dressed in their Sunday best and received the northerners like royalty at their farm 20 miles west of Raleigh. The money was a blessing, but farming worries never let up. Charlie was fretting over a worker who'd been badly hurt.

Royalty or no, you never forget the rhythm of a family farm and along about 3 p.m. that day, Joe asked if the Bouldins didn't need to go do their chores, go milk their cattle. The Bouldins rushed out and took maybe two seconds to change into their farming clothes. They appreciated his sensitivity that day, as they appreciated his sensitivity over the loan.

Joe called occasionally to tell them they didn't have to be so timely, every month, but the Bouldins were adamant that the Dianis get their money back as soon as possible. Despite his insisting that they take it easy, the Bouldins paid off Joe Diani, and when Joe would think of the Bouldins, he would get such a nice feeling in his heart. He thought of them as salt of the earth. He thought of them as the backbone of America. They'd been so kind to him and his wife during that visit. They'd been so grateful.

Things happened. The seed corn tided the Bouldins over. Joe retired as an engineer, Margaret retired as a pediatric nurse. The families kind of lost touch.

In the meantime, about eight years ago, Charlie Bouldin, who sings and plays rhythm guitar, started inviting local bands to play bluegrass, country and gospel music at the farm. Neighbors came. Word got around. Before long, ``Friday Night at Charlie's'' became a fixture. A North Carolina public television crew came. Last Friday, 150 people were stomping and hooting to the music. Oh, it's not something to get rich off of, but it's a powerful stress-easer, Lillian says. (She doesn't play or sing, but she's a real good listener.)

They hold the shindig after milking their 155 Holsteins. They grow grain for silage. They remember the Avon couple who became their friends in a time of need. Life, says Lillian, is pretty dang good.

Joe Diani is glad to hear it. He can't believe the Bouldins are such a regional success in the music biz. As it just so happens, he likes gospel and bluegrass and country. He especially likes the hymn, ``I'll Fly Away.'' As it just so happens, that song is a fixture at ``Friday Night at Charlie's.''